Paperboard Carton With A New Type Of Dispenser

Abstract

A carton for carrying a plurality of cans in at least three rows having a dispenser flap that is easily removed from the end of the carton to expose a dispenser which has a bottom of a sufficient height from the bottom panel to prevent containers in the bottom row from rolling out, but less than the diameter of a container in the bottom row. The top of the dispenser is at a height from the bottom panel that is equal to diameter of a can contained in the carton plus the distance that is substantially less than the diameter of a can, such height being sufficient to prevent any container in the middle row from automatically rolling out of the dispenser when opened, but allowing a person to grasp and pull out the container in the middle row that is adjacent to the dispenser.

1 . A carton enclosing a plurality of containers in at least a first row and a second row above the first row, including a first container in the first row adjacent a first end of the carton and a second container in the second row adjacent the first end, the carton comprising:
 a first side connected to a second side; the second side connected to a third side; the third side connected to a fourth side;   the first end and the second end being substantially parallel and being disposed at opposite sides of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side;   a tear line arrangement in the first end, the first side, and the third side; the tear line arrangement in the first end including a first tear line segment spaced from the second side and a second tear line segment spaced from the fourth side; the first tear line segment being spaced a first distance from the second tear line segment; the tear line arrangement including a third tear line segment in at least one of the first side and the third side; the first tear line segment, the second tear line segment, and the third tear line segment defining an opening flap capable of being at least partially detached from the carton to create an opening in the first end between the first tear line segment and the second tear line segment;   wherein the first container and the second container are retained from rolling out of the carton upon detachment of the opening flap, and   wherein the second container can be removed from the carton through the opening prior to removal of the first container.   
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the first side and the third side are substantially parallel, and wherein the second side and the fourth side are substantially parallel. 
   
   
       3 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of at least one end of the second container is exposed when the opening flap is removed, whereby the portion can be accessed to remove the second container from the carton through the opening. 
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the first side is connected to the second side along a first fold line, the second side is connected to the third side along a second fold line, and the third side is connected to the fourth side along a third fold line. 
   
   
       5 . The carton of  claim 1 , including a handle in either the first side, the second side, the third side, or the fourth side. 
   
   
       6 . The carton of  claim 1 , further including a means for removing the opening flap located at least partially in either the first side or the third side. 
   
   
       7 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the containers are cans and wherein the first row and the second row each comprise at least three cans. 
   
   
       8 . A package comprising:
 a carton and a plurality of containers arranged in at least a first row and a second row above the first row, including a first container in the first row adjacent a first end of the carton and a second container in the second row adjacent the first end;   the carton comprising:
 a first side connected to a second side; the second side connected to a third side; the third side connected to a fourth side; 
 the first end and the second end being substantially parallel and being disposed at opposite sides of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side; 
 a tear line arrangement in the first end, the first side, and the third side; the tear line arrangement in the first end including a first tear line segment spaced from the second side and a second tear line segment spaced from the fourth side; the first tear line segment being spaced a first distance from the second tear line segment; the tear line arrangement including a third tear line segment in at least one of the first side and the third side; the first tear line segment, the second tear line segment, and the third tear line segment defining an opening flap capable of being at least partially detached from the carton to create an opening in the first end between the first tear line segment and the second tear line segment; 
 wherein the first container and the second container are retained from rolling out of the carton upon detachment of the opening flap, and 
 wherein the second container can be removed from the carton through the opening prior to removal of the first container. 
   
   
   
       9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the first side and the third side are substantially parallel, and wherein the second side and the fourth side are substantially parallel. 
   
   
       10 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of at least one end of the second container is exposed when the opening flap is removed, whereby the portion can be accessed to remove the second container from the carton through the opening. 
   
   
       11 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the first side is connected to the second side along a first fold line, the second side is connected to the third side along a second fold line, and the third side is connected to the fourth side along a third fold line. 
   
   
       12 . The package of  claim 8 , including a handle in either the first side, the second side, the third side, or the fourth side. 
   
   
       13 . The package of  claim 8 , further including a means for removing the opening flap located at least partially in either the first side or the third side. 
   
   
       14 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the containers are cans and wherein the first row and the second row each comprise at least three cans. 
   
   
       15 . A method for dispensing comprising:
 providing a carton enclosing a plurality of containers in at least a first row and a second row above the first row, the first row including a first container adjacent a first end of the carton and the second row including a second container adjacent the first end of the carton;   providing a tear line arrangement with a first tear line segment and a second tear line segment in the first end, the first tear line segment and the second tear line segment spaced from each other to at least partially define an opening flap;   at least partially detaching the opening flap to create an opening in the carton, the carton retaining the first container and the second container upon detachment of the opening flap; and,   removing the second container from the carton through the opening prior to removing the first container.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the carton comprises:
 a first side connected to a second side along a first fold line;   the second side connected to a third side along a second fold line;   the third side connected to a fourth side along a third fold line;   the first end and the second end being substantially parallel and being disposed at opposite sides of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side;   the first side and the third side being substantially parallel, and the second side and the fourth side being substantially parallel; and   wherein at least a portion of the opening flap extends into the first side and the third side.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a portion of at least one end of the second container is exposed when the opening flap is removed, whereby the portion can be accessed to remove the second container from the carton through the opening. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , including a handle in either the first side, the second side, the third side, or the fourth side. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , including a finger flap disposed adjacent the tear line arrangement to provide a detachment initiation means for the opening flap. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the containers are cans and wherein the first row and the second row each comprise at least three cans.